Method and jig for packaging vegetables or the like



METHOD AND JlG FOR PACKAGING VEGETABLES OR THE LIKE Filed Aug. 12, 1957 1959 R. K. SCHWEBS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 R m m w.

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ATraENA-YJ Nov. 10, 1959 R. K. SCHWEBS METHOD AND JIG FOR PACKAGING VEGETABLES OR THE LIKE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 qggli l/lllll/I IIIA Filed Aug. 12, 1957 IN VEN TOR.

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ltllll! |||l United States Patent NIETHOD AND IIG FOR PACKAGING VEGETABLES OR THE LIKE Robert K. Schwebs, Appleton, Wis.,- assignor to Cornell Paperboard Products Co., Milwaukee, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin Application August 12, 1957, Serial No. 677,521

19 Claims. (Cl. 53-37) This inventionrelates to a method and jig for packaging vegetables or the like. The invention is particularly useful for the packaging of Brussels sprouts and the invention will be exemplified by describing its use in that connection.

The carton used is closely related to that disclosed in {supported on the marginal flaps aforesaid that the film is not torn when handled or when the film is tensioned by the clamping band which encircles the box and con tents and holds the film snugly to the box.

In the present device, the box is particularly designed to be filled from the bottom. In the packaging of many small vegetables or fruits, it is the practice to face the product in order to present its most attractive surface to view. In the case of Brussels sprouts, filling according to the present invention facilitates facing the first layer of the articles by placing them upside down in a jig with which the inverted carton is associated. The other layer or layers of articles are inserted through the open end of the inverted carton onto the faced articles and the bottom is applied to the carton. When the carton is then turned right side up and the faced layer is exposed to view, the articles will present an attractive appearance to the prospective purchaser.

Facing is a slow and expensive operation in the cartons heretofore known to this trade. As compared with the labor cost of nine cents per carton for facing and filling Brussels sprouts in a widely used competitive carton, the cost is only one and a half cents per carton through the use of the present invention.

The saving is largely eifected through the use of a jig which comprises metal side walls having pockets in which the flanges of the inverted carton are receivable. The facing is done within the jig rather than within the carton. The jig includes a false, bottom which is now "ice The jig side walls include means for supporting the bottom at any level to which it may be adjusted by the operator, and the means for displacing the bottom is also adjustable to determine the extent of maximum displacement.

It is possible through the use of the present invention to measure accurately the weight of the carton contents, something that has not heretofore been practicable.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a view in perspective of a completed package made in accordance with the invention.

- Fig. 2 is a plan view of a side wall blank for the carton used in the package of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the band blank used in such package.

Fig. 4 is a view of the bottom blank used in such package.

Fig. 5 is a view in perspective showing the ends of the side wall blank glued together to provide the side wall band used in said package.

Fig. 6 is a view showing in perspective the relative separated parts of the jig and base structure employed in packaging. 1

Fig. 7 is a plan view of the facing portion of the jig.

Fig. 8 is a view taken in cross section on line 88 of Fig. 7.

Fig. 9 is a view similar to Fig. 8 showing the carton band applied in an inverted position to the facing jig.

Fig. 10 is a view showing the weighing operation showing additional Brussels sprouts addedzto the faced layer, the scales being fragmentarily illustrated in side elevation.

Fig. 11 is a view showing the'application of the facing jig to the support to raise the false bottom of the facing jig for loading the Brussels sprouts into the carton, the carton being shown in section and the bottom having bee secured thereto.

Fig. 12 is a view in section showing the carton turned right side up preliminary to the removal of thejig, v

Fig. 13 is a view partially in side elevation and partially in section showing the package after the transparent web has been applied and banded. v

Fig. 14 is a view similar to Fig. 13 showing the appearance of the carton and web when the contents of the carton are more dense so that they do not project from the band proper. 7

The finished package comprises .a side wall band 15 comprising panels 16, 17, 18 and 19 connected by .a gluing flap or the like at 20 (Figs. 2 and 5) These panels are provided on their upper margins with flaps 21, 22, 23, and 24 respectively. Although it constitutes no part of the present invention, I prefer that the free margins of these flaps be convoluted as shown at 25 for ornamentation.

The carton bottom 26 has side flanges 27, 28, 29 and 30 which are held by staples 31 or otherwise to the corresponding panels of the carton as shown in Figs. 11 to 14. A transparent film 35 is applied over the carton and its contents under tension. It holds the flanges 22, 23, 24, 25 inwardly either at an angle (if the carton is overfilled) as shown in Fig. 13 or horizontally if the carton is level full, as shown in Fig. 14. The margins 36 of the film 35 are gathered and tightly clamped against the carton panels by means of a clamping band 38, the blank for which is separately illustrated in Fig. 3. This band is also made up of panels 39, 40, 41 and 42 and has a gluing tab 43. In order that it may encircle the's ide wall band and the film, the clamping band panels aforesaid are slightly longer than the corresponding panels di'splace'rrnent member.

of the box. In Figs. 2 and 3, the two blanks are shown centered and it will be noticed that clamping band blank projects at both ends slightly beyond the side wall band.

The facing jig may conveniently be made of sheet metal to provide a bottom :45 and side walls 46, 47, 48 and 49. These side walls have no connection with each other at'the cornersandare slightly resilient. Moreover, they are slightly convergent over the bottom as clearly appears in Figs S to 10. Within them there is a floating bottom 50 which spans the holes 51 with which the true bottom 45 of the jig is provided. These holes receive the adjustable displacement members 52 which, in the device illustrated, comprise bolts screwthreaded to the head plate 53 'of a support 54 comprising base 55 and column 56. When the jig is lowered onto the head plate '53 as 'showninFig. 11, the displacement'members 52 force the false bottom 50 upwardly within the jig, displacing the sidewalls bf the'ji'g outwardly *ag'ai'nst their inherent bias. The frictional engagement of the side walls with the false bottom subject to the bias of'the "side walls will temporarily support the false bottom and the vegetables resting thereonat the level to which the false bottom is urged by the displacement members.

Each of theresiliently flexible side walls 46, 47, 48, 49 'of the jig is externally provided with carton supporting means which, in the instant embodiment, comprise pockets 59 extending along each 'of the side walls and formed by the strips of metal 60 welded or otherwise secured to the side walls and ofiset therefrom to provide the pockets. The depth of the pockets is sufficient to receive a substantial part of the width of each of the marginal flanges 21, 22, 23, 24 of the carton side wall band. I Inthe 'useof-this apparatus,the operator starts with the false bottom 50 at the bottom of the jig and proceeds -to load a layer of vegetables or fruits into the jig as shown in Fig. 7. In this view the jig is loaded with sixteen Brussels sprouts 63 which'have been faced so that their stem portions 64 extend upwardly as viewed, it being understood that because of the bottom loading operation, the vegetables are inverted in the first instance.

The inverted carton wall-forming band 15 is now applied to the jig as shown in Fig. 9 with the flanges 21, 22, 23, 24 received into the pockets 59 as clearly shown'in Fig. 9 Ordinarily the faced layer of Brussels sprouts or the like will be wholly below the panels of the band proper. Additional Brussels sprouts are then loaded over the faced layer as shown in Fig. 10.

In the preferred practice of the invention, the contents of the carton are weighed'in order that the consumer may receivea known amount for his purchase price. It is possible 'to weigh out batches of Brussels sprouts which are of uniform weight and to do the facing with Brussels sprouts selected from 'these batches. Alternatively, the facing may be done with selected Brussels sprouts of relatively large dimensions, after Which additional Brussels'sprouts may be loaded heterogeneously upon the faced layer as 'shown in Fig. 10, and the total may then be weighed on the scales 65. The beam 66 may conveniently 'carry two weights, the weight 67 counter balancing the known weight of the jig, and the weight 68 being adjusted along the beam to determine the precise weight of the 'contents.

Following the loading operation, and preferably the weighing, the jig is placed on the support 54. In the course of the placement of the jig on the support, the displacement members 52 will enter the openings 51 of the jig to elevate the false bottom 50 of the jig, thereby raising the Brussels sprouts or the like into the carton band to theextent determined by the adjustment of the walls of thejig onthe false bottom 50maintaining'its g The carton bottom 26 is then f mserted lfltO: the band to bear against the Brussels sprouts which are uppermost at that time. It is then fastened to 4 position to provide support for the contents during this operation.

Fig. 12 shows the carton turned right side up and the jig still in place. The jig is now removed and the false bottom pushed back onto the true bottom 45 of the jig in readiness for another operation. The transparent film is now tensioned across the carton and its contents, being supported against tearing by the flanges of the carton. The clamping band 38 is then telescoped over the wrapping film to complete the assembly. It is desirably pushed well below the top of the carton so that it will not tend to be displaced during handling.

The faced Brussels sprouts are clearlyvisible through the clamping band, and the cartonwill always present a neatly finished appearance whether the flanges 21, 22,23, 24 are inclined obliquely upwardly 'to clear the sprouts of the faced layer as shown in Fig. 13 or whether these flanges extend horizontally over the smaller sized sprouts shown in Fig. 14, which may add up to substantially the same weight because the voids between them are smaller.

While the invention has been described particularly from the standpoint of packaging Brussels sprouts, it is applicable to many other products whether or not the products in question require to be faced. There are important advantages in weighing the products since it has become recognized that fruits and vegetables, nuts and the like differ so markedly in size that measurement of the product in bulk may not fairly represent the value for which the customer is paying. It is an important advantage of theinvention to be able to fix the position of the bottom of the box after the contents are in place, whereby the contents may be maintained under pressure irrespective of their volume, leaving no space within the box in which the contents may shift about during transportation or merchandising.

Both from the standpoint ofthe method and the jig used, considerable variation is possible, and I do not desire-to be limited except-as indicated in the appended claims. For example, the orderof the method steps can bereversed if desired. The box'band may be applied to the jig either before or after the first layer of faced articles is assembled in the jig; the'f aced layer can be raised into the carton band' either before or after additional articles are introduced thereon"through-the openbo'ttom' of 'the inverted carton band; the bottom may be adapted to the carton band'either before or after the false bottom is raised to elevate thearticles into position within the'band.

From the standpoint of the-jig, the specific type ofbase and the'fnumber of displacement members usedmay be changed, within wide limitsfiusing 'only the 'skill of an ordinary mechanicpand from a-method standpoint the false'bottom may be raised with theoperators fingers,

without using either the base or the displacement members. w I From the standpoint of the method,'it is also broadly immaterial whether the resnltingpackage includes a tensioned cover film, transparent or'otherwise, since many articles such as mushrooms 'are soldin cartons which'are open at their tops in some'instances and are covered by a wrapping web in other instances. I claim:

. 1, A method of packaging articles in a box band, whichrn'e'thod' includes thestps of I positioning the'* band, elevating at least some of the articles into-the band-from 'therebeneath, applying a bottom to the band at a point remotefrom its then lower end, the bottom spanningthe articlesin the band and being in pressure contact there- 'with,' 'andproviding temporary support for the articles in the opento'p' of the resulting box while inverting'the box to expose the articles and to'dispose the said bottom beneath the articles for the permanent support of the articles.

2. The method recited in claim 1 followed by the step otherwise open top of the box and anchoringsaid sheet to the box to maintain the contents under pressure against the bottom.

3. The method recited in claim 1 including the step of facing the first layer of articles placed in the box, depositing additional articles upon the faced layer and weighing the total contents of the box preliminary to the application of the bottom upon such articles.

4. A method of packaging articles in a box band, which method includes the steps introducing articles into the band, applying a bottom to the band at a point remote from its then lower end, the bottom spanning the articles in the band and being in pressure contact therewith, and providing temporary support for the articles in the open top of the resulting box while inverting the box to expose the articles and to dispose the said bottom beneath the articles for the permanent support of the articles, a first layer of articles being faced externally of the box band, the faced layer of articles being thereupon elevated into the band and additional articles being inserted into the band on the faced layer before the bottom of the box is applied to the band over the articles which fill the band above the faced layer.

5. A method of packaging articles in a box initially having an open top and an open bottom, which method consists in facing a sufficient number of articles to constitute one layer in the box and thereafter raising the faced articles into the inverted box through its inverted top, depositing additional articles through the open inverted bottom of the box upon the layer, applying a bottom to the box upon the said additional articles, turning the box right side up and applying a closure web over the initially open top to confine the articles of the faced layer within the box.

6. The method recited in claim 5 in which the level at which the bottom is applied to the box is determined by the level of the articles with which the bottom in engaged whereby to maintain said articles under pressure when said web is applied over the faced articles.

7. A method of packaging articles in a box having top marginal flanges and initially open at its bottom, which method includes placing a layer of said articles in a jig having a cross section approximately equaling that of the box, inverting the box over the articles in the jig to register the open top of the box with the articles, the flanges being open, placing additional articles in the box through the inverted open bottom thereof upon the articles comprising the first layer, raising the first layer of articles past the box flanges into the box, applying a bottom to the box upon the articles deposited therein and at a level determined by the level of said articles and turning the box right side up and folding the flanges over the articles comprising the first layer.

8. The method recited in claim 7 including the step of drawing a wrapping web across the flanges and the articles of said first layer under tension suflicient to confine all of the articles in the box between the web and the bottom of the box.

9. The method recited in claim 7 in which the web comprises a transparent film and in further combination with the step of telescoping a clamping band over said web and the box and thereby fastening to the box portions of the web below the flanges, the web being supported in part by the flanges and holding the flanges to the articles in the box.

10. A method of using a jig having side walls and a movable bottom to assist in packaging articles in a box having side walls complementary to those of the jig and initially without bottom or top, said method comprising the step of placing at least one layer of the articles to be packaged upon the false bottom of the jig and within the side walls thereof, inverting the open ended box and registering its inverted top with the side walls of the jig, inserting additional articles through the open inverted bottom of the box to rest upon the articles first mentioned, elevating the false bottom of the jig to incorporate all the posed on the false bottom of the jig.

11. The method recited in claim 10 including the step of connecting side wall portions of'the box with the jig prior to the elevation of the false bottom to maintain registry between the inverted box and the jig during the elevation of said articles in the box.

12. A jig for facilitating the introduction of articles into the space enclosed by the walls of an open ended box, the jig comprising means for locking the walls of the open ended box, a false bottom upon which articles introduced into the box may be placed and means for effecting relative movement between the false bottom and the locking means in a direction to elevate into the box articles disposed on the false bottom of the jig, said jig comprising side walls between which the false bottom is relatively movable, the side walls comprising resiliently yieldable means engaged with the false bottom and displaced upon relative movement of the false bottom between the jig side walls in a box loading direction.

13. The device of claim 12 in which each of the jig side walls has a pocket adapted to receive a side wall portion of the box.

14. The device of claim 12 in which each of the jig side walls has a pocket adapted to receive a side wall portion of the box, the pocket being formed by a strip fastened externally to the respective side wall of the jig and having an upwardly opening portion spaced therefrom.

15. The combination with a support member provided with displacement means, of a jig comprising a bottom having an opening for the displacement means, side walls surrounding the bottom, and a false bottom positioned to be engaged by the displacement means when the latter enters said opening, said false bottom being movable between the side walls of the jig under thrust of said displacement means upon relative movement between the jig and the support member.

16. The device of claim 15 in which the side walls of the jig comprise flanges free for movement individually with respect to the jig bottom and having resiliently yieldable portions normally overhanging the false bottom.

17. The device of claim 16 in which each of the side walls of the jig comprises a resiliently flexible strip having a pocket-forming strip externally applied to it and spaced from it for a portion of the height of the pocketforming strip, whereby to form an upwardly opening pocket on the outside of each of said side walls.

18. The combination with a base and a standard and a head plate mounted on the standard, of a plurality of spaced thrust members in screw threaded adjustable connection with the head plate and extending upwardly therefrom, and a jig applicable to and removable from the head plate and comprising a bottom having apertures registering with the saidthrust members and of sufiicient size to receive the thrust members when the jig is engaged over the head plate, box locking side walls on the jig bottom, and a false bottom disposed on the jig bottom between the side walls of the jig and extending across the apertures of the jig bottom to be engaged by the thrust members and elevated respecting the jig bottom.

19. The combination with a jig having an apertured bottom and a plurality of side walls connected with the bottom and free of corner connection with each other, a false bottom confined between the side Walls onthe bottonrof the jig and spanning the aperture of the jig. bottom, and means receivable through the aperture for displacing the false bottom with respect to the jig bottom and between the side walls, the side walls having resiliently yieldable portions biased to a position normally overhanging the false bottom and engaged by the false bottom in the elevation of the latter above the jig bottom.

(References on following page) UNITED STATES PATENTS Babbitt June 27, 1882 Califield Feb. 5, 1907 5 Schulz July 15, 1924 8 I-Iiatt Jan. 6, 1931 Ehrenhardt June 28, 1932 Allen Mar. 13, 1934 Kuhn May 15, 1934 Wood July 16, 1935 Vaughn Apr. 19, 1938 

